Sauce Garibaldi:
The Tricolored Sauce of Italy’s Unification

I could have just as easily titled this blog post “Why No One Turns Down a Dinner Invitation in Italy.” That’s right—no matter the hour, no one in their right mind would turn down a dinner invitation in Italy. In fact, my son Billy tells me that it would an insult to do so. During […]

Multivitamins:
The Unicorn Supplement

I remember my health class professor talking about the need for vitamin supplements back when I was in college many years ago. We were in the vitamin and mineral section of our coursework, learning about the different nutrients the body needs, and the professor explained that we can’t get all of these nutrients from our […]

Creamy Colorado Green Chile-Turkey Enchiladas:
Thanksgiving Leftovers, Southwestern Style

It’s that time of year again: my annual tribute to Thanksgiving leftovers that don’t taste like leftovers! If you’ve been reading my posts for a few years, you might already know that I’m big on finding tasty, imaginative ways to repurpose that Thanksgiving bird beyond the traditional reheated dinner or turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce […]

Can Gratitude Save You?

Here in the United States, Thanksgiving is just a couple days away. While the origins of the holiday aren’t without controversy, President George Washington’s first Thanksgiving proclamation was about giving thanks to God. I was raised to celebrate this day as a time to give thanks for the good things in my life. And, I […]

Leftover Solutions:
White Meat Turkey

Ask Chef Phyllis This is the time of year I start thinking about turkey. I roast a large bird for our family (about 22–25 pounds), because they enjoy seeing a whole bird on the table, like a picture postcard. However, they don’t really enjoy the drumsticks and other dark meat, which we sometimes save for […]

Homeopathy for Dummies:
The Fundamentals

In many of my articles I strive to cover alternative modalities that may provide a healing impact—or, sometimes, even an actual cure. However, I’m primarily trained as a nutritionist, and I’ve guided my clients on the basic human need to eat highly nutrient dense foods and augment what may be missing (even from good diets) […]

Deep Dish Blue Hubbard Pie with Date-Pecan Salted Caramel Cream:
Traditional Thanksgiving Treats with a Twist

In keeping with the theme of holiday fare, this week we’re delving into one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving: The Pie. It’s not often I’ll say no to pie. In fact, I love pie so much that I’ve been known to do “birthday pie” instead of cake for my annual celebration. Fruit pies, chocolatey […]

Self-Health Habit #11:
Make Self-Care a Priority

Quick! Grab your to-do list and tell me what’s on it. If you’re like most adult humans on the planet, you’ll rattle off rather mundane tasks: Balance the checkbook. Pick up dog food. Return library books. But have you jotted down any joyfully rejuvenating activities to take care of yourself? No? Let’s change that immediately. […]

The Surprising Health Benefits of Extreme Sports

Did you know that doing extreme sports can be extremely healthy? Most of us understand that exercise in general is great for our health, but extreme sports are different from everyday  sports and workouts. If you’ve ever been tempted to try an extreme sport, I encourage you to carefully read what follows. You’ll learn about […]

Chickpeas and Their Uses

Ask Check Phyllis It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything with chickpeas. But last week at a party, the hostess served not only hummus as the appetizer but also a chickpea soup. She said was an old seafood recipe from Tuscany. Can you shed some info on this delicious soup? It was a […]

Savory Cheese-Herb Biscuits:
A Grain-Free and Ketogenic Holiday Side Dish

The holidays are fast approaching, which means it’s time to start thinking about all the delicious ways to celebrate the season’s bounty. Though this is usually a time of celebration and extravagance, pleasure and revelry, it can also present some challenges for those with special food needs or aspirations. I want to enjoy the season […]

Celebrate the Caregivers

November is National Family Caregivers Month, which couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time in my life. You see, we just lost our dear friend, Andy, to pancreatic cancer, and I was truly amazed by the number of people who stepped up to make sure he wasn’t alone as he battled through the stages […]

Intro to Human Foods for Dogs

Who among us has never snuck our pet a table scrap or two during dinner? When you open a bag of chips, your dog likely comes running, even from the other side of the house—and then those sad eyes convince you to share your snack with them. Sharing your food with your pup might feel […]

All Veggie Meals—Twice A Week:
How They Can Prevent Serious Illness

It’s unfortunate that we live and learn rather than learn and live! This is exactly what I wrote about in my recent blog post “Visualize Total Healing.” I have since recognized that although there may be a genetic component to my serious health condition (glaucoma), the diagnosis nevertheless brought me to a new understanding of […]

Harissa-Spiced Halibut with Meyer Lemon-Fennel Relish:
Weeknight Ease, Dinner-Party Class

When it comes to seafood, halibut is almost unanimously appreciated. With its gentle flavor, firm texture, and mild flesh, it takes well to a variety of pairings and manners of cooking. And because this tender, white, sweet-flavored beast of a fish is available year-round as frozen filets, it’s easy to serve any time. However, I […]

The Importance of Balance in Your Life

One lesson I’ve come to learn in this wild adventure of adulthood is the immense importance of balance in my life. And no, I don’t mean being able to balance doing crane pose with a ball on top of my head (though that would still be an impressive feat). I mean balance between the different […]

Good Posture Leads to a Productive Work Day

If you have good posture (the word is from the Latin, ponere), it simply means that your spine is healthy or neutral, and that the three natural curves of the spine are present. Human posture refers to the carriage of the body as a whole, especially regarding the proper positioning of the limbs. These days, […]

Keto Macros:
What They Are and How to Calculate Yours

“Keto macros” is one of the most buzz-worthy terms thrown around the keto community. From “hitting your keto macros” and “staying within your macros” to “fitting your macros” and “finding the right macros,” it pops up again and again in the keto crowd. If you’re new to the lifestyle, you’re probably wondering what keto macros […]

Italian Sausage-Escarole Soup:
Simple and Satisfying Comfort Food

Though I have a hard time saying goodbye to the warmth and waning slivers of light at fall’s end, when the air turns crisp I’m never disappointed at the prospect of the hearty, comforting foods that accompany this time of year. My cravings for crunchy, crisp salads and juicy fruit are all but gone, replaced […]

The Lowdown on Tree Nuts and an Exceptional Pesto from Genoa

Ask Chef Phyllis I was gifted a tin with all kinds of nuts in it. I left it on a shelf in my pantry and forgot about it for many months. When I finally opened the tin, the nuts looked okay but most tasted nasty. The almonds were okay, but the pecans and pine nuts […]